Jorian, and Why I Can't Stop Writing It
by GoWashTheLights
Summary: Jorian Drabbles. Pretty much the most amazing couple that ever existed without actually being a couple. Thank goodness for fandoms, right? Enjoy :) EDIT - 30 Day Challenge now included from ao3.
1. TGIF

**Author Note: **I want to be cool, too! I'm still new at the whole "Drabble" thing, but there's been more around, and I wanted to try it out again. Also, readithoney inspires me so much! :) Enjoy!

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T.G.I.F.

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This was ridiculous. Absolutely stupid and pointless. It was a Friday, and here they were, watching over a bunch of squawking weirdos. Dorian had somehow managed to convince Maldonado that attending the local science-fiction convention would be a _great _idea, and that meant dragging John along. The Detective couldn't lie as he looked around; the time and effort put into the costumes had to have been a lot.

"John, we should have dressed up," Dorian was saying. The side of his face was a blue tangle of lights, and the excitement in his eyes was evident.

John only snorted. "We are dressed up, man. We're _Police Officers._ I thought the badge I made looked pretty real."

Dorian threw him an amused look. "Seriously, I think we should do something next time - I researched this event, and found that it occurs annually. Next year, you and I will attend, off-duty, of course."

John shook his head and smiled. "Whatever you say, Dee." He looked apprehensively at the line forming for one of the celebrities. John couldn't remember the person's name, but whoever they were, they were someone important. The strip of bodies looped around several times, and was extending into the booths on the other side of the aisle. John stood with Dorian and three other officers in a group, standing by for any unwanted excitement.

Soon enough, John got the call over his ear-piece. _"We're bringing her in, now. Stand by, please."_

"Understood," John replied, nodding to his colleagues. The doors opened behind them, and the dull murmur in the crowd turned up its volume. People were craning their necks, smiling in anticipation, and John barely had time to begin directing the people before they started to shuffle forward.

Instantly, the other officers and Dorian noticed the problem. Even a group of ten was detainable, but the DRN had managed to scan each person in the vicinity. With that many of them trying to move in, mixed with cheers at the sight of their idol, it was getting out of hand. "Now," John could be heard saying, "Everyone needs to back it up, right now! We don't want anyone getting hurt, and you all will have a chance to - "

He didn't finish his sentence. People who weren't even in line were getting caught in the commotion, and John was knocked off his feet. Dorian couldn't get to him, and he disappeared in the throng quickly. Behind Dorian, the table for the actress had disappeared behind more bodies, and it was only getting louder. This was a nightmare!

Dorian knew that John hated it, but his partner was going to get hurt if this didn't end soon. He linked up his vocals to a louder setting, and belted, "Everyone needs to stand still at this time, or we will detain you! Anyone not cooperating will be pulled aside! Is everyone clear?"

Every pair of ears couldn't have been covered enough. There was a collective wince running along the crowd's faces, and they were brought to a stand still. Dorian hurried to find John, while the other officers stood strong with their human barricade. The MXs also on duty were also reprimanding. John was trying to get to his feet, so Dorian helped him by picking him up by the collar of his vest.

The human seemed slightly shaken. "Thanks, man. Holy shit, these people are - " He stopped, eyeing the look Dorian was giving him. "Excited."

Dorian sighed and smiled, patting his shoulder. Everyone's attention had turned, so the DRN took advantage of it and kissed John on the cheek. "Sorry. Perhaps we won't go next year."

John blushed, hoping no one had seen. "Yeah, I could have told you that, jerk."

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_I felt really bad for Karen Gillan at Comic-Con this last weekend. People were crazy, I guess! I think someone got hurt, or arrested, or something. _


	2. In Which John Breaks Himself

**Author Note: **Thank you for reviews!

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In Which John Breaks Himself

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It had all started simply - Go to work, argue with Dorian, get the bad guy, and go home. And Drink. A drink would have been nice, but no, John had found himself at the bottom of an old warehouse. Drink-less. From above, John could hear Dorian's voice through the openings that John had fallen through.

"You're still there, John?"

John sighed. "Yep, still here! Pretty sure a broken leg will do that to ya."

His leg - his only good one left - was definitely busted. His head ached, resting in the debris that he'd taken with him. It was cold, but a warm feeling in John's shoulder told him he was bleeding everywhere. Even breathing was painful.

"John?" Dorian asked. He sounded close, probably one floor up. Why didn't he just jump though?

"Dorian," John tried to sound exasperated, but it came out more as a whine. "Hurry up already!"

Suddenly a door opened in the darkness. Dorian's flashlight nearly blinded the Detective, and he winced. "Sorry, John. I'm here now." The DRN examined the area surrounding John, and glanced at his leg regretfully. "I'm sorry I didn't notice that the floor was rotting."

John shook his head, which made him dizzy. "Let's just get out of here. Paul and the others are outside, aren't they?"

"Yes. I'll have to carry you out, John."

"Uh, duh," John hissed, trying to sit up. He groaned, feeling useless. He closed his eyes to make the spinning go away, and felt Dorian close to him. His partner placed a careful arm around his backside, and under his legs. John bit his lip as the pain became fresh, and he gripped the back of Dorian's jacket. "Kill me, kill me..."

Dorian took a moment to kiss John's dusty forehead. "I'm sorry."

John sighed. "Stop saying that. I'm not gonna die, and you know it."

Outside, it had begun to rain. John was able to enjoy the droplets falling onto his clammy skin before he was placed onto a stretcher. One of the medics managed to trap him in a neck brace, even as he struggled against it. He felt like a kicked dog, on its way to the pound. he couldn't see Dorian anymore, and he couldn't even sit up to see where his partner was. "Dorian?" He called. He looked up at the medic and said, "My partner is coming with us."

The young man looked back, nodded at someone, and there was a shift in the ambulance as another person stepped inside. To his horror, John found Paul taking a smug seat next to him. "Wha - no!" John tried to snap, but his brace was choking him. "That's not...ah, jeez, whatever."

Paul chuckled and moved closer as the truck started. "Don't worry, your little boyfriend is riding with my MX, right behind us."

"Shut up, Richard. If I could slug you, I would."

The ride to the hospital was an uncomfortable one, and John couldn't have gotten out faster than if he'd picked himself up and walked out. He was wheeled inside, and after an examination and patch up, he was resting comfortably in bed. He didn't have to wait long before there was a knock.

"Mr. Kennex, your partner's here."

John rolled his eyes, wondering how Dorian wasn't clearing this up, when the DRN himself walked in. The sigh of relief that came from the human was audible, and Dorian smiled. "Thank God. They thought Richard was my damn partner, and made him ride with me over here!"

Dorian silenced him with a firm kiss. His hand trailed gently down to the cast wrapped around John's leg, and he pulled away. He opened his mouth to say something, but John beat him to it.

"If you say you're sorry, I'll end you."

Dorian shook his head, and kissed him again. "I'm not, because now I get to take care of you."

John rolled his eyes, but he wasn't going to argue with that.


	3. Deep Scrubbing

**Author Note: **Thanks for reviews and such! You're awesome!

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Deep Scrubbing

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Old habits die hard, they said.

John was an exemplary embodiment of the phrase; that's why he'd kept his tracking chip in the careful, paid-off hands of someone at the bar. Dorian wasn't going to be happy if he found out, but it was really him who'd put John in this situation. He'd been insisting for a week that John didn't need the scrubber treatments - of course, that meant John was going to do the opposite.

The doctor had nearly thrown him out, but John Kennex had a certain persuasion. He was hooked up, and the memories began to hit him. He could feel his body begin to convulse, and the pressure in his head was getting uncomfortable. Something warm was leaking from his nose; somewhere in his conscience, John knew this was about the time he'd be pulled from the session.

It kept going.

Meanwhile, Dorian was on his way, with Rudy at the wheel of the old car they were in. Something had woken Dorian from stasis, the reason of which had to be John. He'd called poor Rudy from his sleep, and politely requested assistance. Though the tracker on his system read elsewhere, Dorian immediately knew where to go. "Turn left here, Doctor Lom."

Rudy looked nervous, but he put on the signal and turned towards the dangerous part of the city. "Why John would even get this close to the Wall, is beyond me." Dorian nodded, but he knew they'd be fine. It was late, and the streets were fairly empty. The car was parked about a block from the building, and Dorian looked at Rudy seriously.

"Stay in the car, and keep it locked."

"No need to tell me _once, _mate."

Dorian nodded, and hopped out. He glanced around him before slipping inside, and hurried down the hall. There was a make-shift lobby, very low key, but no one was in sight. This worried Dorian - where was the doctor? - but that wasn't important. John was in the next room, looking very much close to cardiac failure.

The DRN worked quickly, placing stimulator needles into John's neck. The human finally gasped, unable to take in the air fast enough. "D...Duh..." He tried to say. His eyes finally began to focus, and Dorian noticed the tears in them.

He unhooked John from the machine, and before he could pull his human to him, John was already in his arms. "John," he whispered.

"H-How did yuh-you..." John struggled through the sentence. "You f-found me-e..."

Dorian kept him up upright, and frowned tenderly at him. "Yes, and you're incredibly lucky I did. No more of this, John. I care too much for you to let it happen again."

John looked down, and his body still twitched and hiccuped occasionally. "S-Sorrry, Dorian..."

Rudy drove them home. He tried to insist on taking John to the hospital, but Dorian didn't want this visit on any record. He stayed the night with his partner, holding him close to steady his trembling body. Neither of them slept much that night; when morning came, they were tangled together under the sheets, unaware of the noisy, complicated world around them.


	4. Fired

**Author Note:** It's a little late, but hey, that's how John and Dorian roll. Busy being cops and all...and I didn't do much for Easter. So, Enjoy! Lame title is lame.

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Fired

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"Have a Happy Easter, Captain."

Sandra smiled up at Dorian. "You as well. You're spending the weekend at John's, I understand?"

Dorian couldn't keep his own smile hidden. "Yes."

Maldonado gave him a knowing glance. "Send him my best regards."

"I will, thank you." The DRN excused himself, then made his way out to the lobby, where Rudy was waiting. The technician greeted him with a glance to his watch; he seemed fidgety. "I apologize, Doctor Lom, but I do appreciate you escorting me to John's place. The offer is still open to join us, you realize."

Rudy made a strange sound that could have been a laugh. "Easter was five days ago, mate. I've done my time; not much of one for Holidays. Why _are_ you spending it so late?"

Dorian wasn't sure. "I asked John about it two weeks ago, but he didn't have much to say. I'm surprised he's even mentioned it now."

The car ride over was a quiet one, but Dorian politely thanked Rudy again for his assistance. Seeing as the Detective was expecting him, he hurried to be buzzed in. Dorian took the elevator up, and padded quietly down the hall to John's door. He knocked. and heard a gruff, "Come in."

Dorian frowned, and spoke loud enough for him to hear. "John? Your door is unlocked?"

There was silence, and then the door swung open slowly. John looked at him, unamused, and said. "Yeah. Are you in or out?"

Something was definitely wrong. The DRN stepped inside, but his human partner wasn't trying very hard to play host. For a brief moment, Dorian observed the decor that usually wasn't displayed in the apartment. The table had lilies set into a simple glass cup, with two plates on each side encompassed by silverware. The observance ended when Dorian's sensors detected the remnants of smoke, and he immediately looked towards the wall stove.

John was sitting at the island in the kitchen, and he must have either been once finely dressed, or hadn't finished. His slacks draped around his bare feet, and his white dress shirt was left unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up. His hair, usually gelled and styled perfectly, was splayed messily on one side. His personal poison swished in his glass as he sipped, and there was a frown on his face. Dorian finally cleared his throat. "John, is something wrong?"

"No," John replied, and he was almost convincing. Dorian stepped closer, and his foot brushed against a couple of rose petals he hadn't noticed before. More of them were scattered in loose fashion, and led down the hall. Dorian was beginning to understand, and he carefully made his way over to the stove. John watched him, his lips twitching a little in amusement. "The ham is done, I think."

Curiously, Dorian opened it. A waft of dark, leftover smoke drifted into his eyes. He waved it away, and found what had to have once been a beautiful slab of meat. Now it was like an ashen rock, and smelled terrible. "John, I - " He began.

John interrupted by pointing towards the sink. "Potatoes were boiled, but just a _bit _on the for-too-much-time side."

Dorian checked that, too. It looked like a pot of applesauce, and upon inspection, was sealed to the bottom. The DRN turned and winced, trying again to say something, but was halted a second time. John stood, and led him to the living room. "John, wait. What happened? Please, tell me." He pulled the human close, who sighed.

"It doesn't matter. You don't eat anyways, you said so yourself."

"I did, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the effort. Did you...fall asleep?" Dorian guessed, and John nodded.

"It's okay. Let's just get a pizza and watch a movie or something."

Dorian tipped John's tip upwards, and kissed him softly. "Okay. We can still have a good Easter, John, so don't feel bad."

He received an impressive eye-roll. "Dude, I'm fine. We don't need Easter to have a good time, you know." He gave a crooked smile, and kissed Dorian much more soundly.


	5. Do You Wanna Climb a Tree?

**Author Note: **Thanks for reading! I really liked writing this one :)

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Do You Wanna Climb a Tree?

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"John."

"Dorian."

"You look...like you're in pain."

John huffed a short laugh. It was partially true; the backs of his legs could only endure so much, and the blood was starting to rush to his head. "You look upside down, so there." He finally hoisted himself upright, and let his feet swing. "Come on, climbing a tree is a classic! Lighten up a bit."

Dorian couldn't quite let himself do that just yet. He was glad the tree was Oak, strong enough to hold a human - but he wasn't sure he trusted it to hold _his _human. "John, I'm a bit concerned about your leg. If it detaches while you're like that, or gives out..."

Naturally, John rolled his eyes, and moved into a standing position. He was wearing shorts, so Dorian could see the muscles flex in John's left leg. John hopped, and grasped the next branch available. "This tree," he began, "has been around since my grandad was a kid." He pulled himself up, and stood on this limb, as well.

The DRN was busy scanning any weak spots in the tree, as well as in John's synthetic. "Why tarnish such a beautiful tree by climbing all over it?" He chided. He was mainly just trying to get John down to ground level.

"Oh, Dorian," John called in exasperation, "just get your ass up here already! Jeez!"

There was no point in arguing. John was climbing again, and he was going to be out of sight soon. Dorian hopped easily, and was perched a couple of branches above John before the man realized it. John frowned when he reached his partner, and ignored the hand offered. "Show-off. It's not a race, you know."

Dorian smiled. "I'll bet that's exactly why you wanted me up here. You forget what I am, John."

" 'You forget what I am, John,' " The human mocked whiningly, pouting his bottom lip. He made his way higher, and finally -_ finally_ - perched himself. He looked at Dorian sitting next to him, and gave him a look. "Now, if you'll stop acting superior, I want to show you something. Look," he pointed in front of them, and wrapped an arm around Dorian's waist.

Before them was a bare spot in the leaves. The sun was starting to fall, but the DRN could see the view perfectly. In the distance was the coast, an impressive contrast to the metropolis towering over it. People were leaving the waters, looking tired but content. Dorian could feel John's breath close to his ear, and turned to him. "Why are you showing me this?"

John's eyes searched him for a moment before he answered. "Like I said, this old tree has been around a while. This spot has never grown in on itself, and the beach has never changed." He looked away, and something like nostalgia crossed his face. "Things like this are scarce, Dorian. We have so much technology and distraction around us, that we're going to forget about what isn't man-made."

Dorian followed his gaze, and rested his head against John's. "You're right. We may be able to archive images of beautiful things, but to actually witness them..."

John nodded. "It's different. You get a different feeling being there in person."

They stayed there until the sun finally disappeared, and the sounds of the night life echoed around them. John sat up straight and yawned. Silently, He slid onto his stomach, and began his descent. Dorian followed, and when they reached the grassy bottom, he slipped his hand into John's. "Thank you for taking me here."

John gave a half-shrug and smiled. "Hey, any time. What good would I be if I didn't teach you something useful every once in a while?"

Dorian smiled and kissed his cheek. "John."

"...Dorian."


	6. Cats, Why'd It Have to Be Cats?

**Author Note:** Sorry, I've been hiding the last couple of weeks. Mostly been trying to figure out what I want to do with all of my stories. AND being bummed that season 2 wasn't renewed for our favorite detectives :(

The fandom will go on!

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Cats...Why'd It Have to Be Cats?

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John squinted though the light of his flashlight, wondering why he was under the house and not Dorian. Tangled up in a piece of plastic netting, meowing pitifully at him, was his worst enemy. He could already feel his sinuses tingling.

"Hey, you," he whispered. He could see now that the netting was twisted uncomfortably over the kitten's head and through her legs, and made quick work of it. The baby tried to bite and claw at his hand, and he smiled at her efforts. "No need to be afraid. I've got you." He pulled her close, and inched his way back out until he was back on the lawn.

"He lives," Dorian's voice said from behind. In response, John twitched through a heavy sneeze, and the DRN smiled. He approached his partner and examined the kitten, and his smile faded a little. He looked at John, and suddenly the Detective knew something was up.

"...What?" He asked warily.

"The kids...just told me that their adult cat had kittens. I don't think that this is the only one."

John sighed quietly and winced. "Man..."

"If you'd like, I can go instead."

John gave him a hard look, but smiled through it. "Let you be the hero? No way. Here, take the fuzzball."

The house was fairly big, so John was not looking forward to scouting all of it for who-knew-how-many baby cats. He decided to first find the mother, and began his crawl back under the house. Flashlight in hand, he winced as his stomach pressed against rocks and his hands dipped into rainwater from the night before. He was pretty sure that something had just run along his leg, but perhaps his frustration was making him paranoid -

"Gah!"

John started, and he froze as another little cat padded right up into his face. Then another, and there was a low meow off to his left. John moved the light, and there was Mom, looking tired as she lay on her side. The kittens had to have been born a week or so ago, from their size, so John wasn't sure what was wrong with the adult. He slid over, and upon inspection, found dried blood near her back leg. It looked a little mangled, and John grimaced. "Looks like you got caught up with the big boys."

For the next hour, John first helped the mother out and into Dorian's arms. Then he searched and searched the whole damned underside for each kitten, finding a total of six. All the while, his allergies were getting worse, and a rash had broken out along his arms and neck. When the last one was out, the parents of the children had returned, apologetic and thankful.

"The mother will need a vet, and the kittens just need a little rest," Dorian explained, as John's voice had gone hoarse. The two of them headed over to the car, where John plopped down into the drivers side and rubbed furiously at his eyes. He groaned and sniffled miserably, glad that the day was, at least, over.

Dorian took his hands and pulled them away. "John, that'll only make it worse."

"You're not the one with the swollen eyeballs..."

Dorian smiled at him in sympathy, and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "True. Come on, let's go home and I'll help you relax."

"Relaxing" included a cold bath, then a hot press against the rashy areas, then a couple of medicinal treatments, and finally, a pair of gloves to stop John from scratching. He found himself laying on the couch, on his side, restlessly watching some television while Dorian made him soup. He couldn't complain about that part, but he was still feeling glum. He glanced over his shoulder and muttered, "I can just take these off, you know."

"If you do," Dorian replied, "I won't let you off easy. Now, eat up." he brought the bowl over, which John took carefully with his slippery, covered hands. He sat up, and had nearly taken a bite when he noticed those bright blue eyes looking at him. "Dorian, watching me eat can't be that interesting."

Dorian smiled. "It isn't. I just want to make sure you don't take those gloves off."

John paused, then set the bowl on the table. He promptly eased into Dorian's lap, and kissed him soundly as he removed the fabric from his fingers. "Oh, they're definitely off."

Dorian only rolled his eyes as he kissed back.


	7. Mighty Morphin' Movie Night

**Author Note: **Happy Reading!

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Mighty Morphin' Movie Night

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"What are we doing tonight, John?"

"Hm?" John mumbled absently. They were at his place with the television going, a break in routine of hitting the bar. John wasn't even looking at the screen; his fingers were tracing Dorian's hand. He lay on his back, his head pressed against a pillow next to the DRN's leg.

Dorian smiled. "What do you want to do?"

John sighed quietly, and he sat up. "You're too proactive. Why do we always have to be 'doing something'?"

Dorian only shrugged. "I like to feel I have purpose."

In response, John heaved a sigh, rolled his eyes, and flopped back down onto his side. He opened the channel board for the t.v. and scanned through. Dorian watched the screen curiously, and it stopped on one of the local channels.

There was a child-like grin on John's face. "I haven't seen this since...wow, I don't even know."

"What is it? It looks extremely dated," Dorian winced.

"Dude, this is Power Rangers. Plus, it's the movie, so it's even better!" With his eyes on the screen, John managed to grab the blanket that had fallen to the floor, and successfully drape it over the both of them.

"What do the Power Rangers do?" Dorian asked quietly. He was more intrigued in John's reactions than in the bright costumes and bad acting.

"Fight crime, kick some ass, the usual," was the reply. John was still smiling, and occasionally - genuinely, even - would laugh in enjoyment. He was so into it that he didn't even notice Dorian staring at him with a smile.

"John, which one is your favorite?" Dorian's eyes flicked to the screen. "I like the blue one; he seems like an intelligent guy."

The Detective snorted softly. "You would Like him. Nah, I always liked the White one."

Dorian pressed his lips onto John's shoulder. "Why is that?"

John gave him a knowing side glance, and his body language shifted. "He was evil at first, but he redeemed himself."

The serious answer surprised Dorian a little. "So, you feel you related to him the most."

John looked right at him, smirking darkly. "You sayin' I'm the bad guy turned good?"

Unabashed, Dorian smiled and nodded. "Yes, I believe so." He moved closer, his lips inches from John's.

John smiled and murmured, "Well, that makes sense, you liking the Blue Ranger."

"Why's that?"

"Because you are one of the biggest nerds I know." He leaned in and closed the space between them.

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_This one came from recent obsession of watching the OLD school Power Rangers (thank you, beautiful Netflix) I'm sure i'm going to write some fics for it now...)_


	8. Off to Neverland

**Author Note:** Man, May has been a busy bee...month, thing. Whatever. I've been writing a lot of drabbles in my free time, which will be posted soon.

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Off to Neverland

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Dorian couldn't believe what he was seeing. He knew there'd been the risk of this happening, but the side-effects of the drug were...unexpected. Dorian hadn't even gotten the chance to chase after the criminals who'd injected John with the stuff, because he was concerned with his partner's current actions.

"John, why don't you get down, now?"

John gave him a loopy smile and shook his head. "Dorian, you're always telling to me to have some fun. Well, now I am."

Dorian shook his head. "This isn't what I had in mind. You're going to be frustrated if you leave marks on the hood, you know."

John shrugged. He took an impressive stride up the front of the car, standing on the roof a moment later. He bounced a couple of times, smiling. "Yeah, this feels sturdy. Get out of the way, Dorian, I'm on my way up."

The DRN cocked his head as John spread his arms. "John, are you going to do what I think you're going to do?"

John closed his eyes. "Second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning."

Dorian braced himself just in time. John leaped off the car, and instead of flying - as he'd expected - he was hurtling towards the cement. Dorian caught him easily, but the force of the impact sent them sprawling. Dorian landed on his back, with his arms wrapped securely around John. The human seemed surprised, and a little winded. He frowned, hauled himself to his feet, and immediately began to clamber onto the car again. "Must have not done it right."

Dorian sighed in exasperation. He was tempted to just take John and toss him into the passenger's side. "John, we don't have time for this. You're extremely under the influence, and we don't know what that drug is doing to your body."

"What drug? I don't take drugs, Dorian. Well, I...er, nevermind. No," he looked at his partner, smiling softly. "There are three things you need to fly - do you know what they are?"

Dorian had no idea. "Why don't you tell me in the car?"

John laughed, and shook his head. "Don't be such a grown up. The first thing is Faith, which not many people have anymore. Only children believe in everything."

Now the DRN was paying attention. John wasn't making another attempt to scale the vehicle, so he could listen comfortably. "What's the next thing?"

"Trust. Another trait in kids that so many of us have tossed like garbage." John's face was falling. He seemed to be thinking about something, and placed his hands in his pockets, and rested one foot on the glass pane. "Without trust, you become extremely lonely."

Dorian's expression softened, and he extended his hand. "John, I trust you. So, I'm not alone."

John didn't take it. He looked away and sighed. "The last is the most difficult, because only kids believe it exists. There isn't a single adult who believes it's real, and that's why they can't fly."

Dorian took a step forward, and his fingers brushed against John's. "What is it?"

John finally sighed. He stepped off of the car, and leaned against the door. "It doesn't matter anymore. I'm too old for it, and I can't fly. I can't even run like I used to."

"Oh, John," Dorian sighed. He leaned in and kissed him, cupping a hand across his face. When he pulled away, he was smiling. "By tomorrow, you won't even remember this, but I will say one thing - I will stick with you, no matter how old you get, or how young you stay." He placed a hand over John's chest, feeling the pulse of his beating heart. "What's important is that you learn to trust me, and have faith in me, and do whatever that third thing is."

John laughed, swallowing his emotions a little. He felt tired and just wanted to go home. "Thanks, Dorian. It's...pixie dust, by the way." When Dorian looked at him in confusion, he added, "The third thing - it's pixie dust."

Dorian smiled through his frown. "What the hell is that?"

John laughed freely now, shaking his head. "I have no idea."


	9. Holding Hands

**Author Note:** So, I've been doing a 30-Day challenge for Jorian, and since I had these drabbles sitting in my documents, I figured I'd post them. For the next month, each chapter title will be the prompt :)

* * *

Holding Hands

* * *

"John, stay with me, man."

"Yeah, yeah, I...I'm awake."

Dorian nodded and smiled as John opened his eyes again. The night had started out simple enough; track down the bad guys, turn them in, celebrate with a beer. Or in Dorian's case, watching John celebrate with a beer, while he reminded him on the merits of sobriety. Now, the two were crouching in an alleyway, _hiding _from the bad guys, and John was injured.

It wasn't completely serious, but a concussion with the bad weather meant bad luck. Dorian had his jacket over their heads, keeping his eyes trained carefully on his dizzy partner. The blood smeared against his right temple was starting to dry, at least. John gave a heavy sigh, his head dipping briefly. "Ah," he groaned, "my brain feels like a balloon..."

Dorian gave him a look of sympathy. "Sorry. I'd walk you out myself, if it didn't mean you or I getting shot."

John shrugged, shifting to sit up straighter. "Richard said he'd be here with the team soon, it's..." He trailed off. When he showed no signs of continuing, the DRN shook his shoulders a couple of times. He groaned again, and pushed Dorian away. "Quit shakin' me around. I'm not a cup of dice, Dorian."

Dorian only sighed. "Then you need to stay awake. Here," he reached out and took John's hand, squeezing it lightly. "Every time you feel yourself fading, just grasp my fingers. That will let me know how you're doing, and I can keep an ear out for our 'friends'."

John wasn't really listening. He was looking at his hand, wrapped securely into Dorian's, and something like curiosity washed over him. Dorian was sitting close to him, and holding his hand..."Don't let go."

Dorian frowned. "What did you say?"

John looked up at him. "Don't let go, okay? This...helps a lot," he mumbled, not sure of what he was trying to say. His head was killing him, and his stomach was starting to churn uncomfortably. Every time Dorian's thumb brushed along the top of his hand, his heart skipped.

The DRN noticed and placed his hand over the side of John's face. "You might catch a fever. Sorry, man."

John stared up at him in confusion. "Why do you apologize so much? Drives me crazy..."

"S - Er, I'll...try to be more conscious of it," Dorian corrected himself with a smile. The two of them fell into a strangely awkward, yet comfortable silence. Whenever John felt himself slipping, he would tighten his hold on Dorian's smooth fingers, and smile.

"Thanks, Dorian."

"For what, John?"

"Looking out for me. Sometimes I...get on your case, but you make sure I don't mess up."

Dorian looked at him regretfully. "Not always - look at you right now."

John waved a sloppy hand in his direction. "Thisis nothin'," he slurred. "I'll be fine."

Nodding, Dorian accepted that and waited with him as the rain fell. When the squad showed up a few minutes later, Detective Paul was the first to approach them. Dorian began to pull his hand away, for the sake of John avoiding later embarrassment. However, he was surprised when the human made a sound of protest, and kept their fingers entwined.

"Told you," he mumbled, looking up at him anxiously, "don't let go. I need this right now..."

"Okay, John. I'm right here."


	10. Cuddling

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Cuddling

* * *

John wasn't...exactly sure what to do. He sat very still, calm, and aware that any sudden moves could startle the DRN wrapped around his waist. They were at Rudy's lab - Rudy was gone, now - and somehow John hadn't quite found his way out of the room. Dorian had spent the entire day on three-fourths of a charge, but an exciting day had drained him substantially.

He'd begged John to stay a few minutes, invited him to sit on the big sofa made for two - _why_ Rudy had this, John didn't even want to know - and had promptly gone to retrieve a blanket. Then, he sat down, rested his head onto John's chest, and had remained there for the next couple of minutes.

"Um," John finally mumbled, "Dorian...what are you doing?"

Dorian had his eyes closed, but he replied, "Trying to sleep, here."

The Detective was baffled. "Wha - Dorian, I have to go home, okay?"

The DRN's hand drifted up onto John's chest, making the human tense. Few times had John seen his partner so loopy, but this was a new record. Dorian only sighed in contentment. "John, aren't you tired? I'm tired..."

"Yeah, I can see that," John tried. "Dude, this is really weird, even for you."

Finally, Dorian looked up at him. "I just want to be with you, John." His tone wasn't needy, which surprised John. It was just as if he were stating a simple fact, giving him the same old look he gave every day - trust.

"W-Well, I...like having you around, too, but we can't sleep like this. I'm just your partner, man."

"Ohh," Dorian grumbled, "you're no fun. Cuddling isn't going to kill you. Isn't that what humans do?" He gently pulled John closer.

John eased down into the chair easily, before he'd even realized it. "Yeah, but...that's for people who like each other. Couples, Dorian. We are not a couple."

Dorian smiled. "An odd couple, maybe. That counts."

John sighed audibly, but he clearly wasn't getting out of this. His head rested against Dorian's, and...he was tired. The blanket over them was warm and soft, and their feet were reclined outward. "If my neck gets a knot, I'm holding you personally responsible."

"Hmm..." Dorian replied. He was out not thirty seconds later, and John followed soon after.


	11. Gaming

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading! The other option was "Watching a Movie."

* * *

Gaming

* * *

"What about an Arcade?"

"No. Too crowded."

"Video games?"

John snorted. "Do I look like I have time for that?"

Dorian shrugged. "Well, the antique shop we passed one time had a few board games in the window. Monopoly was in the stack."

John laughed ruefully. "And there it shall remain. If we were together, and we played that game, we'd be divorced the next day."

The DRN frowned in displeasure. "That's terrible. Why would someone want to break the bonds of matrimony over a game?"

"Who cares? It's not really a two-person game; you need a group of people willing to fight to the death for that. Keep thinking."

Dorian was compliant, running through a list of options in his data files. "Go Fish?"

John shook his head. "Too easy. You'll be bored in less than ten minutes."

For a few minutes, Dorian remained quiet. There were millions of options, and John's stubbornness was a problem. Suddenly, he realized something and looked over at the human. "Do you even want to play a game?"

John looked uncomfortable for a moment, and shrugged. "Sure I do. I mean, it's the weekend, I'm feeling generous, so why not? Just pick something before I change my mind."

A frown knitted Dorian's brows together. The two of them were in the cruiser right now, and it was either make a decision, or get out and wait for the next time John Kennex was in a decent mood. Dorian looked out the window, and noticed a few kids playing on the sidewalk. "What are they doing? They look like they're having fun."

John glanced over, and couldn't help the small smile that fell across his lips. "Hopscotch. Damn, those are smart kids."

"Is it complicated?" Dorian asked, in reference to the comment. John laughed.

"No. It's probably the simplest, oldest game around. Why don't we play that? At my place," he added quickly. "There's no way I'd let anyone see my old ass play this in public."

They drove home, and John immediately set about rearranging his furniture once inside. Dorian remained by the door, intrigued, as he'd never seen his partner so motivated to do something so...fun. John set up a disk on his coffee table, and immediately a board-type image was displayed on the floor. "Okay, this is simple," he explained. He held up a small rock he'd had on the shelf, and held it up. "There are ten numbers, as you can see. You toss the place-setter, and it'll land on a random number. Then you jump," he demonstrated, alternating between one and both feet, "and you don't hop on the marked number. You have to make it to the end without tripping, or hitting the line - it'll buzz if you do."

Dorian was smiling. He was willing to play the game, but a question still rested with him. "Those kids didn't have a hologram. What did they use?"

John smiled back. "Oh, that's even more old-school. People used to draw the entire board with chalk - made it more interesting and more involved. I'm glad kids still have a sense of the past. So, are we going to play? Do you want to go first?"

Dorian nodded and stepped forward. He removed his boots to avoid making more noise, and tentatively tossed the rock. It landed on a four, and he copied John's actions. When he reached the nine, he overshot and hit the line. The board turned red and buzzed, and John smiled. "Step out. My turn, pal."

John picked up the rock and tossed it, finding the very first number unavailable. He tested his leg a couple of times, then gave an impressive leap to the two and three. Unfortunately, he was just as ungraceful in his landing, and set the alarm off. "Dammit!" He laughed. "Well, you'll get used to it."

The two of them played until long after the sun had gone down.


	12. On A Date

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

On A Date

* * *

"You look...nice, Terrance," Dorian said encouragingly.

John didn't miss the amusement in his partner's voice. "If you say that again, I'll kill you."

Rudy was finishing with the last touches of his latest alter ego, made specifically for a man named 'Terrance' Terrance, of course, was just John's cover I.D., and Dorian's was...just Dorian. The only status change he was making for the operation was from Cop, to sexbot. _John's_ sexbot.

John growled, pushing Rudy's hands away. "My hair was fine before you messed it up! Enough, man!"

Rudy smiled. "Well, boys, go have some fun, stay out of trouble, and, uh, remember to catch the baddies. Lots of beautiful, distracting faces will be there, and that goes for you, too, Dorian," he added, looking mildly serious.

Dorian nodded, and offered an arm to his partner. It was duly ignored.

At the club, they were halted at the front doors unexpectedly. They'd held up their I.D.s and didn't have their weapons, but John had his cuffs wrapped around the belt loop of his jeans. The bouncer frowned at him. "Are you cops?"

Dorian was quick to act, and placed a hand over John's shoulder. "Oh, he likes to carry those around, just in case. You never know when you might need 'em," he winked.

It took every muscle in John's body not to smack Dorian. The act got them in and over to a table, where they placed a drink for John. After the waitress left, John all but crumpled in his seat. "I am so damn embarrassed!" He hissed.

Dorian smiled apologetically. "Sorry, man. It worked, didn't it?" Their seat was connected in a padded, half-circle around the table, so the DRN slid as close as he could to John. He rested his cheek against the top of John's head, nuzzling it lightly. His hand was over John's wrist, stroking it with his thumb.

Before the Detective could stutter his protest, the waitress returned with a bright blue concoction. "Hello, handsome boys, what can I get for you? On a date tonight?"

John looked up at her, giving her a convincing enough look that he wasn't being held here against his will. "Just keep the tab running. I'm not too hungry, thank you."

The girl smiled at Dorian. "Looks like your friend has an appetite - for you!"

Dorian paused in his antics to respond. "You caught me. He wanted to do something special tonight, so, yeah, definitely a date."

"Well, if you need anything, don't be strangers." She winked and headed off. John's head sunk into folded arms. He mumbled something, but even Dorian had a hard time hearing over the music. "What was that?"

John glared up at him. "Knock it off, Dorian."

The DRN sighed. "I'm trying to be convincing." Though, he could admit, with John looking the way he did, Dorian didn't have to stretch the act much.

John straightened up, and looked right at him. "So, we're on a date. They say that on dates, you should be yourself. Doesn't matter what your clothes are like, or what your name is. It's about being you.. I like..._you._ The way you are."

Dorian blinked, taking in the words. "You mean that?"

John's eyes flickered distractedly, but he nodded. His body language changed as he muttered, "Yep, and we're gonna have to talk about this later; I have our guy." He trailed his hand briefly over the cuffs, and gave a sly lance at Dorian. "You were right - these did come in handy."


	13. First Kiss

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

First Kiss

* * *

Well, now, wasn't this a bitch?

John tried once again to move his leg, but someone's _hand _was pressed against it. He sighed loudly, trying to get his message across.

Dorian literally wouldn't budge on the matter. "John, we need to be careful. If any of this falls at the wrong angle, it could injure the both of us, and further damage the house."

John snuffed in amusement. "Like it could get any worse. I can practically hear this place rotting..."

"It won't be long; I've already notified Detective Paul's Partner of our location. At least," he added cheerfully, "the kids got out."

John nodded quietly. A house like this was something _he _would have been wandering around in at their age, not nowadays. It was too fragile and they should have known better, but seemed grateful enough to have been saved. He shifted slightly, trying to remove the sharp whatever-it-was from prodding his back. He stopped abruptly when his head brushed against Dorian's, who was crouched over him protectively. "Sorry." He turned his gaze, unable to help noticing the faint scent coming from his partner - like mechanics and oil. It wasn't as heavy as in an auto shop, but enough to catch his attention.

Damn that DRN his mind seemed to be on the same wavelength. "John, were you chewing gun today?" He murmured.

"...No, why? Do I need some?" John was suddenly embarrassed.

Dorian shrugged. "You smell like mint and coffee. It's...nice."

A slight blush tinted John's face. "Just my mouthwash. It's a little strong, I guess."

Dorian made a curious hum. "Strange how I never noticed..."

"Uh, Dorian?" John tried. The DRN was far too close to his liking. His heart was fluttering nervously, and it nearly stopped when Dorian pressed his lip against John's.

_What...the hell is happening? _It had to be the low oxygen level in the room. It was getting lower, disabling John from thrashing away like he wanted to. Or did he want to? He sighed and relaxed without thinking, and pushed on his elbows to shuffle closer. How long had it been since he'd kissed someone? _Too long. Man, I'm a loser._

"John, are you okay?"

He opened his eyes, not realizing he'd closed them. His lips were still parted slightly, and he was quick to seal them closed. Dorian was looking down at him with concern, even a little guilt, maybe. John cleared his throat. "Why did you do that?"

"Are you upset?"

"No, but...I don't understand."

Finally, a tiny smile trickled along Dorian's lips. John fought the urge to kiss them again. "I just wanted to try it. I like you, John."

"I - " John began. He didn't know how to answer. "Maybe...we can talk about this later, okay?"

Dorian nodded patiently. "Later, then."


	14. Wearing Each Other's Clothes

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Wearing Each Other's Clothes

* * *

It was a rainy day. It was also John's day off - a rare occurrence, but welcome - which meant it was also Dorian's day off. Normally, the DRN would be with Rudy, but he'd managed to convince Maldonado he wanted to pass the day with his partner.

Not that John really minded, but sometimes it was nice to be alone. _Well, _he reasoned, _Dorian doesn't exactly get alone time with Rudy around. _

"John, you should really try to dust around here more often," Dorian called from somewhere. _On second thought..._

John frowned, looking over his shoulder. Not having Dorian in his sight was a lot like leaving a child alone in a different room. John stood and went to investigate. "Where are you?"

There was hesitation. "Your back room. I haven't touched anything..." He trailed off as John walked in. There was an old t-shirt in his hands, and he smiled sheepishly. "...Important."

John scrunched his face. "What are you doing, dude?"

"I'm sorry, I was curious. I was admiring your things back here, and I found this open box. Why are these clothes in storage? They're in pretty good condition."

John was quiet as he took the shirt in his hands. He brushed his thumb over the fabric, and an almost-smile crossed his face. "Want them?"

Dorian blinked, not understanding.

John held out the shirt, which Dorian took. Then he rummaged for the sweatpants, and passed them over. "Try 'em on," John requested, "see if they fit."

"John, I already have clothes. This is what I wear every day."

"Isn't that boring?"

"Not really."

"Just try them," John pressed, looking annoyed. "Go change in the bathroom."

Dorian nodded and did as asked. He left his own clothes folded neatly over the toilet, and tried on the outfit. The sweatpants were a bit long, but comfortably baggy, and the white shirt was just as loose. Still, it was a decent fit, and he headed out back into the living room. There, John eyed him up and down with a smile. "Not bad, not bad. You like them?"

Dorian smiled. "You really want to give these to me?"

"Yeah, I mean...they don't fit anymore." John slowly looked away, focusing on something that wasn't there.

Dorian took his hand. "John?"

"Those clothes. That's all I could wear when I got out of the hospital. I was skinnier then, so they don't fit now. I...want you to have them. You can wear them after your shift, when you're charging for the night. Kind of like pajamas, I guess."

After a moment, Dorian hurried to grab his clothes. He brought them back to John and set them in the man's arms. He smiled and said, "A gift for a gift."

"Er - uh, Dorian, you don't have to -"

"I want to, John. I want to return my appreciation."

John finally smiled and nodded. "Okay. Thanks, man."

Later that night, when Dorian was charging in a spare port, John shuffled into his room with his new clothes. He noted tiredly that Dorian must have longer arms, because the sleeves were a bit long. The pants fell short, so John just rolled them up to his knees before getting into bed. As he lay there, he breathed in the scent that came from the fabric - that was so, completely Dorian.

He was still smiling as he slept.


	15. Cosplaying

**Author Note:** I had a LOT of fun writing this one. Thanks for reading!

* * *

Cosplaying

* * *

"John, may we look in here?"

John looked over distractedly, then winced. "Just to look..."

Dorian gave that look that said, "Okay," and, "I'll probably still buy something," at the same time. John rolled his eyes and followed him in.

Technically, they were still on-shift, but it was nearing the end of a gruelingly quiet day. Not even a good chase. The shop was a costume store, which was _why _John had been hesitant. Each aisle had a hologram overhead, labeling each genre carefully, but the place still smelled like a high school theater and cigarettes.

"John, we have exactly five minutes before our shift ends," Dorian announced. "Would you like to try some of these on?"

The Detective gave a short laugh. "Knock yourself out, pal. Since when are you up for slacking on the job?"

Dorian shrugged. "I think we'll be fine, and the shop doesn't close for another hour."

"Half-an-hour," the owner called from the back. He walked up to them, looking peeved. "I don't mind if your try stuff on, just put it back where it came from. Common courtesy."

When the man turned away, John gave Dorian a look. The DRN just gave a helpless shrug and smiled. "He _is _closing soon. We shouldn't make a mess."

John raised his brows. "_You _shouldn't make a mess. I'm not playing dress up with you."

Another shrug, and Dorian was gone. John turned his attention to the outside, silently begging for something to do rather than this. Eventually, though, he started to feel a little guilty. How often had he dragged Dorian out to watch him drink, just so he could have some damn company in his night? He checked on the DRN from afar, and found the near-giddy smile Dorian got when he was doing something recreational.

Something human.

John finally sighed and snuck down a different aisle. With folded arms, he eyed the clothes reproachfully. Some of these were awful! He was about to change his mind when he reached the end, and saw a decent-looking costume hung up, all by itself. _Must be popular, _John thought, and looked at the description tag. The words on the tiny screen read: _'Judge Dredd. "I am the Law!" ' _

"I think I remember this movie," John whispered to himself. He and his Dad had seen it, not long before his old man had died. Glancing around quickly, John slipped quietly into a dressing room, and locked the door. He stripped and climbed into the costume, finding it surprisingly comfortable and fitting. John had nearly put on the helmet when there was a knock on his door. His heart stopped.

"John?" Dorian asked.

He didn't even try to deny it; he knew Dorian could detect him on the other side. "...Yeah, Dorian."

"Did you try one on?"

"No, I was admiring myself in the mirror. _Yeah, _I tried one on..."

"May I see?" Dorian asked after a second.

John groaned. "As long as you don't tell _anyone _I did this! Promise?"

"I promise."

The vow was solemn. John took a deep breath, put on the helmet, and stepped out. Under his visor, he could see Dorian smiling. "Well?"

"I like it. Your scowl adds to it."

"Don't be smug. What are you supposed to be anyway?"

"My costume reads "Ichigo Kurasaki". It's from a popular Japanese show that's aired for years."

John examined the black kimono with a raised brow. "Doesn't look half - "

"Hey! Come back with - oh, not again!"

The two cops looked up in alarm. Someone had nicked a costume or two, and was already out the door. John quickly held up his badge to the panicked owner. "We're cops. If you want your merchandise, we can't waste time in changing."

"We'll return them," Dorian added quickly.

The man nodded. "Go get him! He's stolen from me before!"

John was the first out the door. The guy was small, and weighed down by his steal. He was quickly caught up with, and a heavy hand dropped down on his shoulder. He struggled and yelled, "Get off, man!" He continued to do so until John had him cuffed. Panting and sitting against the wall, he glared up at the two men. "What kind of cops are you supposed to be?"

Dorian frowned at him. "The kind who don't take these situations lightly. Theft is petty and there are ways of earning credits, man."

John finished issuing the arrest file, and crouched down. "Looks like you're in for a night in the cubes, creep."


	16. Shopping

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Shopping

* * *

Dorian gave his partner the most stern look he could muster. "John Kennex, this is not going in our car. This thing won't even _fit - _you'd have to rearrange a few things."

"That's what she said," John mumbled absently.

Dorian frowned. "What?"

John looked up, jutting his bottom lip in feigned disinterest. "Hm? Nothing, didn't say a word. So, I still need a new sound system, because mine is all busted up."

"That's because you wouldn't stop hitting it, caveman."

John examined the price of one of the stereos, then hissed through his teeth. "Shit, you're kiddin' me...five hundred credits for this?"

Dorian looked around. "What's your price range?"

"Oh, about a hundred credits, at the most."

The DRN scanned devices in the store, striking out the more expensive ones, and found his way over to a bin. It was filled with items priced in John's preference; Dorian smiled and called, "John, over here."

After a moment, John wandered over curiously. "What did you - oh, ha-ha, you're so funny..." His face broke out into wry amusement, and he shook his head. Before him sat a pile of _antiques - _CD cases, cassette cases, mp3 players, the first ipods - all labeled final at one-hundred credits or less. He turned to walk back to the big kid toys when he noticed his partner.

Dorian was smiling down at the items like they were his children, fascination lighting his face. "Dee, come on, man. I think I know which one I want." John tugged lightly on Dorian's jacket until he got his way.

In the end, John simply chose the same model he'd had from before, vowing solemnly to never raise a hand to it again. Satisfied, Dorian wisely suggested they install the system here, just in case, before leaving.

John nodded. "Yeah, go ahead. I'll be out in a second, okay? If anyone bothers you about being solo, tell them you're with me."

Later that afternoon, the two of them were parked outside John's apartment, enjoying the thrum of the new stereo. Dorian bobbed his head along to the music, smiling. "It sounds great!"

John smiled back. He lowered the volume, ignoring his partner's sudden fallen expression, and pulled out a bag he'd stuffed in between his feet. "I, uh, got you something."

Dorian's spirits seemed to lift. "I was wondering what that was."

John passed the bag over, and shrugged. "Though you might like using it after your shift."

Dorian opened it, and his smile somehow managed to get bigger. Inside was a CD player, headphones, and a couple of CDs. "Thank you, John."

"The guy at the counter thought I was nuts for even trying, but he 'guaranteed' they worked okay. If not, we can take them back. " John was looking out the window, trying to keep the blush off his face.

Dorian didn't help. He leaned over and planted a single kiss under John's eye, and murmured, "Even if it doesn't, it's okay. This was really nice of you, John."

John gave him a half-smirk. "Don't gush. Don't tell anyone - except Rudy, can't help that one - and...you're welcome, Dorian."


	17. Hanging Out With Friends

**Author Note:** Also had a lot of fun with this one :) Thanks for reading!

* * *

Hanging Out With Friends

* * *

A unanimous cry erupted from the three men sitting on the floor, circled around a hologram game of Trivial Pursuit. The turn had been cast, leaving John irritated, and Rudy and Dorian elated. John had been convinced he could beat the two of them on his own, so DRN and technician had teamed up easily.

Right now, John was still reeling over the fact that he'd landed on the same blue squares for nearly four turns. "Okay, read me a damn card," he mumbled. He was on his stomach, propped up by his elbows.

Dorian sat cross-legged, with straight posture only a mother could love. He pressed his hand to the hologram deck, letting the card image transfer over to his hand. "Okay, it's a character question, as usual: Who was the obscure character from Empire Strikes Back to die at Darth Vader's hands? Was it - Chewbacca, Admiral Ozzel, Captain Piett, or Jar-Jar Binks?"

John snorted. "I _wish _he'd killed Jar-Jar Binks."

"John!" Rudy laughed in shock. "He was a great character! I related to him on so many levels."

"Probably because you're actually _related _to him, "John retorted with a harmless smile. "Uh, okay, I'm gonna go with Admiral Ozzel."

Dorian nodded, mildly impressed, and transferred the card back to the file slot. He pressed the other screen for the number roll, which stopped at six. The game piece shifted over the board until it stopped on a yellow tile, so John pulled a card onto his hand.

"Okay, yellow is history. How many years passed since the Battle of Naboo, from when Episode Two took place?" John's eyes immediately shot up to look at Dorian, who could easily cheat if he wanted to. John had warned him that if he saw any disco-face, there would be trouble.

Dorian's face, as it had been the entire game, remained normal. He looked to Rudy and smiled. "Want to take a shot at it?"

Rudy's brow knit in deep thought. "Episode Two, goodness. Oh! Was it...ten years?"

John sighed and rested his head into his arms, nodding. Dorian laughed, and his and Rudy's piece sauntered over to the center of the board. John was still waiting to earn the green piece he'd been expecting for half-an-hour already. He set the roll, crossed his fingers...

...Blue.

"Oh, my God! This is rigged!"

Dorian couldn't contain his smile. "Skip?"

John threw him a look. "Never. Read the card."

The question was simple enough. "What did Han Solo say to Leia after she admitted to loving him?" Dorian watched John, a certain glint in his eye.

John noticed and returned it as he said, "Pass."

The game ended not long after, with Rudy and Dorian as the winners. Rudy stood and stretched gratefully, helping the other two to their feet. "Thanks for keeping me company tonight, mates. It...meant a lot." He gave a shy smile.

John patted his shoulder. "It was fun - more than I've had in a long time. Thanks for letting us hang a while."

Rudy nodded and collected his things. "I'll trust Dorian to lock up, if you're not finished here, but I'm off to catch a few winks. See you tomorrow, gentlemen." He turned and headed up the dark steps.

Dorian turned off the hologram, and smiled over at John. He immediately pulled his partner close, resting his hands on John's hips. "Blue, huh?"

John chuckled. "Rigged, like I said."

"You think you'll ever get tired of it?" Dorian peered at him, his blue eyes still shining in the dim light.

John rested his forehead against Dorian's. "Nah."

After a beat, Dorian said, "I never got to hear you answer your last question, but it's okay. I love you."

John stared right at him. He brushed Dorian's cheek with the back of his hand, and whispered, "...I know."

Upstairs, by the door, Rudy's heart had all but melted. "Saps."


	18. Animal Ears

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Animal Ears

* * *

"Atta boy! Who's a good boy, eh?"

Dorian winced, pushing Rudy's hand away as nicely as he could. "Rudy, if you wouldn't? John..." He sighed under the wave of laughter coming from his partner.

John was doubled over, hands on his knees, and tears continued to pool against his lashes. "Dor...oh my Gah...! This is...ha, ha, ha!" He couldn't even take it.

If Dorian were able to blush, he'd surely be doing it now. He reached up to run his fingers over his ears - which weren't even his. He had _cat _ears, pointed and twitching and embarrassing. After a particularly rough assignment yesterday, Dorian's audio receptors had shorted out, leaving him completely deaf. Rudy now insisted that these were the only replacements available, as they weren't attached to something else. "I think I could use some quiet, now," Dorian mumbled, and began to detach them.

Rudy went to stop him, but John was quicker. The giggling human straightened up and took Dorian's hands. "No, no, keep 'em," he insisted. His eyes were still glittering in amusement. "You're the only cat I'm not allergic to."

Dorian rolled his eyes. "Not exactly comforting, John. How would you like it if you were me?"

John sighed seriously. "I wouldn't, but I wouldn't like feeling like I belong in a nursing home, either. You looked pretty miserable yesterday, and you stopped talking altogether. At least you can hear again, right?"

Dorian scoffed. "Yeah, _you _laughing at me. Rudy, would you please stop _touching _me, man?"

Rudy jerked his hand away wisely. "Sorry, sorry! I just really like them on you - rather fetching," he added with a laugh.

"Rudy," Dorian warned, "are you certain there aren't any other replacements I can use? You weren't lying to me?" He stood, noting briefly that John's hands were still in his. The light squeeze against his fingers was mildly comforting.

Rudy shied away from Dorian's glare, reaching behind him. He found the first object on the desk his fingers touched, grasped it, and tossed it across the room before running off. "Go get it, Dorian! Good boy!"

"RUDY!" Dorian bellowed in shock.

John, meanwhile, bust into laughter. The sound reached Dorian's ears in a heightened sense, and he focused on it instead of chasing down the technician. It was a light, unguarded sound, one that Dorian had never really noticed before. John was sitting on a bench, holding his stomach, and he seemed unable to stop. He also seemed to not notice how carefree he looked; it made Dorian smile in defeat. At least John was happy.


	19. One Sleeps, the Other Watches

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

One Sleeps, The Other Watches

* * *

It was around three o' clock in the morning when John finally fell asleep. Or, better said, passed _out. _Now that he was, Dorian could safely dab at John's forehead to clean away the beads of sweat. It had been a short evening of drinking, but a long night of illness.

Someone - Dorian hadn't had time to investigate - had spiked John's drink with something awful. The Detective spiked a fever within minutes, and before long was quietly begging Dorian to get him the hell out of there. Dorian helped him into the car, and began to drive toward the hospital. He probably would have arrived there, too, if he hadn't mentioned it to the delirious human.

"No," John had begged, leaning heavily on him. "Not the hospital. I'm fine, okay?"

"John, this is really bad. You're incredibly pale, and your heart rate is much higher than is healthy."

"I know, I know..." John had closed his eyes. "Please, just take me home. I'll sweat it off there, and you can..." He'd trailed off.

"What, John?" Dorian asked, mostly to keep John alert. "What do you want me to do?"

"...Can watch me...take care of..."

Dorian consented. He carried his partner up to the apartment, where John promptly threw up all over the floor. Through the next few hours, he suffered a continued fever, more upheaval, chills and body aches. He drifted in and out of consciousness, complaining of itchy skin. Dorian bathed him, dressed him in fresh night clothes, and set him in bed.

_Finally, _he was deep in sleep now. He'd exhausted himself, leaving Dorian with nothing to do but watch expectantly. There was cleaning to do, but the DRN didn't dare leave John's side. In the silent darkness, he found himself getting caught up in trivial things, rather than how to solve what had happened. "I'm here, John," he whispered. "Still here."

John shifted slightly, remaining dormant. Dorian watched his face, and noticed how the easy scowl John usually wore had softened. He looked child-like, with his lips pouted slightly. His hair was fly-away in all directions, making him seem all the younger. Even with the mild stress pulling the creases in his face, he was finally resting.

Dorian ran the back of his hand over John's cheek. The fever was still high, but it hadn't gone higher. Dorian was just beginning to think it was time to go do chores, when John deliberately shifted. He rolled onto his side, so Dorian reached for the trash bin reflexively. Instead of flopping over the edge, however, John simply curled further into the sheets, pulling one knee closer to his stomach. He pulled his pillow closer and snuffled into it, groaning lightly.

Dorian relaxed and smiled. "You're okay, man. Like you said, you'll be okay." He scooted closer, and tentatively reached out to pat John's shoulder. It was there, right at that _moment, _that clarity hit him. He loved John Kennex, more than anyone or thing in this world.


	20. Making Out

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Making Out

* * *

Sometimes it was nice having a DRN as a boyfriend.

John's content sigh was lost somewhere in his chest as Dorian kissed him. He was currently up against the wall of his apartment, sitting comfortably in his partner's arms like they were a sturdy chair. His feet curled further around Dorian's back, but it wasn't like he needed to make any effort.

Dorian was being experimental, which was both irksome and intoxicating. With his lips pressed against John's, he scraped his tongue along he top of the other's mouth, then slid it down the back of his teeth. Any time John would try to catch it, the DRN was quick to pull it back. A small protest finally rose up in John's throat.

"Problem?" Dorian whispered. He changed his focus to John's neck, pressing his frame firmly against the human.

"U-Uh," John swooned. "No, it's...good. Wouldn't mind you back up here, though..." He smiled. He probably looked about as punch-drunk as he felt, but that was okay. He guided Dorian's head back up by his chin, and dove in for more.

Dorian hummed in amusement. Whenever he pulled away in the slightest, even to kiss somewhere else, John was pulling him back. He looked up at John for a long moment, then said, "That's all you want? Most humans like a little variety - it's more of a 'turn-on'."

John rolled his eyes. "Old-fashioned, remember? This is enough for me right now." He pushed away from the wall, wrapping his arms completely around Dorian's neck. Their lips mashed and twisted together, but he still managed to mutter, "Couch."

Effortlessly, the DRN carried him over and eased him onto his back. He slipped in-between John's legs; his circuits were starting to get jittery, so he lay there a moment, breathing easily against John's lips.

John, meanwhile, as a ragged mess. "Problem?" He mimicked Dorian from earlier. His voice was rough with amusement, and his chest heaved lightly.

"I just..." Dorian began. "I was just observing something."

John waited expectantly,_ and_ impatiently.

Dorian blinked, then smiled and shrugged. He massaged the outside of John's left leg, then up over his knee. "I'm just happy, that's all. You make me happy, John."

John couldn't fight the tiny smile tugging at his lips. "Me, too. Now shut up and kiss me again."


	21. Eating Ice Cream

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Eating Ice Cream

* * *

"Perhaps this will teach you to cut back on that junk you take into your body. From now on, you're adding greens to your diet."

John looked at Dorian with forlorn, as if to say, "Please don't say 'greens'." His hand was resting against his cheek, and he'd been quiet since the dentist had called his name like it were an omen. Hours later, he left with three replaced teeth in sparkling condition.

Dorian kept driving down the main street, instead of taking the freeway to John's house. John noticed and whapped his shoulder, pointing. A moan echoed against his closed lips. Dorian smiled and patted John's hand. "I have a surprise for you. _However, _you have to promise to start eating better after this."

John shrugged at him noncommittally, with a bit of interest dancing in his eyes. Ten minutes later, he could barely contain the relief he felt upon seeing the car pull into the lot of an ice cream shop.

Dorian leaned over to gently kiss his cheek. "Rudy and I were so impressed you went to the dentist, all on your own choice, that we had to reward you. Remember," he added sternly, "all I ask is that you watch your diet."

The Detective had gone from fourty-two to five by the time they walked in. Dorian motioned to the cases and said, "Point to what you want, and I'll let the server know. Just get what you know you can eat - you don't want to be more sore _or _sick."

It was an easy pick. John pointed to the strawberry and mint flavors, with a warm caramel drizzle over the top. Dorian paid with the credits he'd been given and passed the bowl over to John. "Enjoy, man."

John threw him a tiny, grateful smile, and walked with him over to a table. Just as quickly as he'd sat, he had the spoon in his mouth, and sighed. His eyes closed, and he rolled the mixture of cool and warm against his swollen mouth. "T'ank yoo," he mumbled thickly. "So gooh."

Dorian nodded and smiled. "You're welcome, John."


	22. First Trip Away Together

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

First Trip Away Together

* * *

The cruiser pulled up to the beach around eight in the morning. John hopped out of the driver's side, admired the scene, and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "It's about damn time!"

Dorian agreed with a nod. "I'm also grateful your day off was approved. Thank you for bringing me along."

"Hey, every working man needs a break once in a while," John grunted as he pulled the cooler from the back seat. He shut the door with his hip and began down the sandy path, looking for a good spot. "Where do you want to go?"

Dorian hefted the duffel bag of towels, extra clothes, and snacks, also scanning. "How about there?" He pointed to a less-inhabited area, conscious of John's need for isolation. "How about there?" It was a Saturday, so the place was getting crowded quickly; best to find a good location now.

John nodded his approval and marched over, glad to shed his sandy flip flops. He layed out the towels handed to him, found the sunscreen, and doused himself generously in it. He grinned and looked over at Dorian. "Do DRNs need this?"

"A lot less that you, Mr. I-Burn-Easy. Don't forget behind your ears."

"Okay, Mom," John grumbled playfully. He gave his synthetic a couple of test bounces, tossed his shades onto his towel, and immediately bolted off to the shore. He dove in, and emerged a few moments later.

Dorian could hear his quiet laughter from a distance. He was content to watch his human, splashing around like he hadn't a care in this crazy world. When John returned a short while later, he was sopping wet and covered in sand.

"Aren't you going to swim? Er, can...you?" John suddenly looked crestfallen.

Dorian nodded. "I can swim. I don't want any of our things to get stolen, that's all."

John rolled his eyes, and flopped onto his knees. "Dude, this stuff is easily replaced, if anyone stole it. It's what we do for the day that matters."

Dorian regarded him for a long moment. He finally nodded and smiled, standing to shed the shirt John had borrowed him. The swim trunks were John's, too, which he straightened on his hips.

John was grinning. "Race ya?"

The two of them spent nearly the entire day in the water. When the sun fell, they returned to their belongings; Dorian was quietly relieved to see everything still there. John passed the next hour nursing a beer or three, and finally rested against Dorian's chest. They lay together, looking up at the darkened sky. He only wished they weren't so close to the city - they'd see the stars otherwise.

"John," Dorian mumbled. He was tousling John's hair lightly.

"Hm," was the reply. John was falling asleep, and fast.

"This was a great day - best I've had in a while. Thank you."

"Hm..." John nodded, and shuffled closer.


	23. Different Clothes Style

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading! If you'll note the content rating change, it's because of later chapters.

* * *

Different Clothes Style

* * *

"I am not wearing a goddamn hairnet!"

"Shh! John, this is a cafeteria; the kids will pick up your bad language."

John scowled. "They're at school, right? Let 'em learn something new."

Dorian busied himself with his own hair restraint, receiving a look of approval by the head lunch lady. John, however, got a big, mean glower.

He folded his arms, completely unashamed to be a rebel. "My hair is just fine without it."

The woman, easily three inches taller, crossed her thick limbs in response. "It's against health regulations, _Officer._"

The two of them battled it out through furrowed brows, but finally John deflated a bit. "Fine," he snapped, "I'll wear the damn thing. Don't think I'll take it laying down, lady - these kids might just hear a few choice words by the time I send them to their mommies and daddies."

The woman raised a brow, but didn't say anything. She stalked away, leaving him and Dorian by the sink. Dorian was giving him that look again, the one that said he wished John would just behave for once. "It's only for today, and they need a hand here. Besides," he lowered his voice, "we need to do our evaluation."

They walked up to the front area, where kids were shuffling along with their over-sized trays. John suddenly felt a renewal of self-consciousness when the munchkins started giggling. They obviously knew that he didn't belong, and tittered to one another. John gave his best mean look as they passed, but it wasn't enough.

"You look funny!"

"Are you someone's daddy here?"

"He's a mean lunch lady!"

Soon, even Dorian and the other staff were joining in quiet laughter. It seemed to them all in good fun, but they didn't know John Kennex. He was already planning his revenge as he walked through the kitchen, and out the back doors. He'd seen a man go out for his smoke break, and found him by the dumpster. "Hook me up?" He asked.

The worn out man nodded, both handing him a cigarette and lighting it. John thanked him and walked back in. He was puffing easily when he reached the food bins and trays, noting the looks of shock. "Okay, where were we? What is it we're having anyway? Half-frozen pizza and celery doused in ranch sauce?"

Dorian was appropriately mortified. "John Reginald Kennex!"

John gave him a light frown at the unwanted use of his middle name. He pulled out the stick and blew the smoke into the air. "What? Now I look like a real lunch lady. Right, Doris?"

"That's it!" The head lady - whose name wasn't even Doris - grabbed John by the scruff of his neck. Dorian walked briskly alongside her, apologizing profusely for his partner's actions. Outside, the woman gave John a final shove. "I _will_ be making a complaint to your boss! This is so unprofessional, and now lunch is ruined!"

John wasn't phased. He finished the cigarette and stomped it into the cement with satisfaction. "Fine. That shit you're puttin' into those kids is the real problem, and we'll be reporting to our bosses ourselves. Good luck getting another food handler's permit!" He yelled the last part, as the door was slammed shut in his face.

Three day's suspension, John later decided, had been worth the awful get-up.


	24. Morning Rituals

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Morning Rituals

* * *

For John Kennex, waking up every morning at seven, on the dot, had become second nature. A moment of disorientation, usually caused by weird dreams, and then he would sit up. He would hobble over to his charging station, detach his synthetic from it, and place it against his thigh. It would click into place, announce a full charge, and he'd stand up to walk off the pins and needles that came with adjusting. He'd shower, shave, brush his teeth, and get dressed.

Ever since he'd come home from the hospital two years ago, this had been his routine; it was all he knew to keep from staying under his covers, hiding from the world. As grouchy as he was, and as much as his body ached more than ever, he just did it. It was as easy as breathing.

For Dorian, the shift into consciousness was a more difficult chore. It was always instantaneous, with him blinking and twitching his fingers, but the after part was the challenge. First he would check his charge level - usually at one-hundred percent. Then he would examine his case files, to see which ones were still there - all of them, thankfully. Finally, he'd check the most important detail, filed under the name, "John Kennex."

It was always the same. John was still his partner, and the day was always the one following the previous. Not a week, or month, or year...or years later. He was still commissioned as a police officer, and only understanding that would calm him. Then he would wait for John, greet him happily, and they'd get to work another day.


	25. Spooning

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Spooning

* * *

"John, what are you doing?"

John frowned behind him, closing his eyes. He wrapped his arm securely around Dorian's stomach, and rested one leg over both of his partner's. "Relaxing, that's what. Just enjoy it, Dee."

Dorian blinked. "I didn't say I minded you pressed up against me, I just wondered if there was a reason for it."

John sighed. When he'd made the decision to introduce spooning to their personal lives, answering deep questions hadn't been on the agenda. The idea had turned him on a little, even, but now he felt like an awkward teenager. "You're being annoying."

Dorian sensed the tone of endearment, and smiled. "I apologize."

John didn't reply. He only nestled his face into Dorian's hair, and there wasn't another sound between them in the bedroom. Dorian couldn't seem to relax as the minutes dragged on. He lay stiffly, trying to understand John's behavior. He looked up their position in his files, and found "spooning". As he read, to say he found certain details interesting was an understatement. John was just being intimate in a new way.

The DRN shifted into a more comfortable position. He managed to pull John closer, and slipped one leg back in between the human's. His foot gently moved up and down against the calf, and he jutted his backside out ever-so-slightly against John's groin.

John grunted in approval. "Hey, there we go, finally. Felt like I was hugging a brick..." He pressed his lips near Dorian's ear, and sighed contently.


	26. Doing Something Together

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Doing Something Together

* * *

"On three. One, two..._three!_"

John grunted and wheezed as he put his weight on the cruiser. On the other side, Dorian's arms were shaking with the effort. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but fate had decided to give the DRN less than half a charge today.

Suddenly, the car was getting heavier. John glanced at his partner, who who was slumped over the bumper with his head down. "Hey - Dorian! Dude, wake up and help! No, no, no!" They slipped back down the muddy path, leaving the car back where it had started.

"I'm tired, man..." Dorian whined. He looked up at John, and for some reason, the just-as-tired couldn't be mad. It was raining, they were covered in mud and leaves, and this hunk of metal just wasn't going anywhere.

John leaned against it, sighing deeply. He'd long since removed his jacket - it was still hot as hell today, and he remained in his black undershirt. It clung to him from both the rain and sweat; he felt like a kicked dog, and his legs ached horribly. "Okay, uh, we need to ditch the ride. You and I...need to just walk up the hill - Yes, we do," he added, as Dorian was shaking his head. He extended his hand. "We'll do this together."

"John, please, I just wanna sleep..." Dorian's voice bounced through several octaves, and back again.

John nodded. "Me, too, Dorian. We will, once we get out of this mess. Now, gimme your hand."

Dorian finally consented. He and John slipped, tripped, and face-planted their way up the slippery hillside more than once. With an arm around each other's waists, they pulled each other up after pulling each other down. When they finally reached the top, John barely managed to call Maldonado for help before passing out.

Dorian didn't last much longer. His head slumped against John's chest, and he was out. As he faded, he couldn't help but be glad that, even on the worst day, they were together.


	27. Formal Wear

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading! I was actually writing the rough draft for this on Memorial day, and it gave me some sniffles.

* * *

In Formal Clothing

* * *

John made his way down to the lab, still adjusting the cuff of his suit jacket. His hat was tucked under his arm, which he would put on before arriving at the cemetery. "Dorian, I think we should head over early, so we can..." He trailed off as his partner approached him.

Dorian was dressed in the precinct's dress uniform as well, looking somber under the cap of his hat. "Morning, John."

John looked him up and down. "You look...good," he commented.

Dorian nodded. "I found it appropriate, as Detective Halverson was a good friend of mine, too." He glanced over as Rudy approached them, dressed in a maroon dress shirt, and black slacks and tie. From the expression on the technician's face, John could tell this was going to be a difficult day for all.

Cops died. It was just a part of life sometimes. Precincts notified families, sent their condolences, and arranged what they could to ease the suffering. Still, there wasn't anything quite like being the one to tell the families the news, and John's heart had nearly broken at Mrs. Halverson's face. He sighed and decided to put on his hat. "Well, let's get on the road now."

The funeral was touching. The formal service was given, and then a few family members spoke. Not many eyes were dry by the time Halverson's son had finished what he wanted to say on his hero. Finally, the rest of the time was opened for anyone else who wished to speak.

Dorian, without hesitation, stepped forward. There were a few surprised glances, but not from John. He just knew that's how Dorian was, and smiled a little.

"Detective Halverson," Dorian began, "was an incredible officer. I will always be inspired by his big heart and understanding of his duty. I will never..." He stopped a moment, collecting himself. "...Forget the sacrifice he's made for all of us to be safe. I'm thankful I got to know him."

That was it. Dorian returned to John's side, held held proud for the end of the service. It was only in the car, when he was alone with John and Rudy, that he slumped in his seat. John patted his shoulder.

"That was really...kind, Dee. I could tell the family appreciated what you said."

Dorian nodded solemnly.

"You okay, mate?" Rudy sniffled. He was still busy drying his eyes. John threw him a look of sympathy.

Again, the DRN nodded, but didn't say another word. He was thinking, should the awful day ever come, of what he would say for John.


	28. Dancing

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Dancing

* * *

John eyed the dance machine like it were an escaped crazy. "No. Way." This was _not_ how he wanted to spend his day off.

"Come on, man! Just one round, okay?" Dorian was already sliding the coins into the slot. He was surprised the game was still functional, but it had been kept in good condition. "Besides," he patted John's stomach, "if you're not going to run the course, I need to get you to exercise somehow."

John swatted his hand away, leaving his own over his middle. "I'm not soft," he grouched. "Just because _you _have a six pack made from a G.I. Joe's factory."

Dorian hit the large buttons, giddy with the clunky, manual controls. "What should we dance to?"

John shrugged. He tapped his sneakers gently onto the arrow pads, frowning. "Hell if I know. I've never played this before."

The DRN finally found something that seemed easy enough. He adjusted the settings a bit for both players, and hit play.

John. Was. Dammit. Not Good. At. Shit. This!

He grumbled on every missed step, tripped over his jeans a couple of times, and was a bit winded by the time the song ended. He received what was expected from his performance - a big, fat fail. Dorian's score, of course, was perfect.

"You can choose the next song," Dorian offered, but his answer was a colorful finger gesture. He shrugged with a smile and chose the next one. The round only ended because John's synthetic froze up. He tried to catch himself, but pinwheeled right into Dorian's fancy footwork and sent them tumbling over the edge.

"Get a room!" Some brat whooped.

John grumbled into Dorian's chest, and managed to disentangle their limbs properly. Dorian looked apologetic as he stood, and took John's hand. "Sorry. I thought it would be more fun for you."

_"Well," _John snapped, then eased his tone, "it wasn't. Let's just do something else."

Dorian smiled, glad that John wasn't too mad. "Let me get you some cotton candy, to make up."

"Thought I didn't need it," John remarked, smiling.

Dorian shrugged. "You've earned it. What color?"

John rolled his eyes, and kissed the blue lights trailing Dorian's cheek. "You know what color."


	29. Baking

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading! The other prompt was "cooking".

* * *

Baking

* * *

John was not easily intimidated.

He could tackled, shot at, break someone's bones...not much phased him anymore. Standing in his kitchen, and looking at all the fancy ingredients on his counter...that was different.

"What did you say we were making? Cure..." He couldn't even pronounce the damn thing.

_"Coeur a la Creme," _Dorian replied. The french caressed his tongue, making John's heart skip a beat. "Did you wash your hands?"

John blinked, and regained his irritable nature. "I will," he insisted. He washed them exactly twenty seconds, knowing Dorian would hassle him about it. "So, where do we start?"

Dorian was pulling out what looked like thin towels from the pile of items, and moved over to the sink. "With the cheesecloth," he stated. He ran it under the cold water, while John looked on curiously.

The human busied himself with looking over other ingredients. He found strawberries and different types of cream, and licked his lips. He noticed a heart shaped mold, and a frown instantly formed along his brow. "Is this one of those girly, heart thingies?"

Dorian wrung out the cloth, and gave John an affirmative smile that said, yes, it was.

John was in charge of whisking, which he found very distracting. The reason being was not the instructions given to him, but the DRN wrapped around him from behind, with his chin pressed against John's shoulder. His voice drummed against John's neck as he explained what to put into the bowls, and how long to mix them. When John was finished, Dorian turned him around and kissed him sweetly.

Not that John minded, but he had to ask. "When...er, what's next? This can't be all of it..."

Dorian chuckled. "It isn't. I'll take care of the next part, but we have two hours until we can finish it. It has to set a while."

John looked at him, suddenly excited. "Two hours? With nothing to do?" He said mockingly.

Dorian smiled. "Why don't you go over to the couch, and get ready? I'll be over in a second." He watched as John nearly hopped his way over to the couch, and shook his head. Over the next while, he thoroughly enjoyed the quiet moans coming from the man as he explained what he was doing. He said things like, "swirling the syrup," or, "stir gently," and words like, "Sugar, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla."

"Dorian," John whined. "Are you_ done_ yet?"

The DRN quickened his pace, and hurried into the living room. He paused; the sight of his human, already naked and writhing for him, was beautiful. Two hours went by too quickly. John was currently in Dorian's bare lap, panting, and throwing the last of his energy into a weak kiss. Dorian pulled away gently, ruffling his fly-away hair.

"I'll be back. Time's up, and I'll bring the dessert to you." He eased John off of him, set him on the couch, and wrapped a light blanket over him. He slipped his pants back on, and was bringing the finished result to John, still in the pan.

John looked at it through drooping eyelids. "It has that heart...it looks good, but kind of silly."

Dorian smiled. He lifted John's head a bit to waken him, and asked, "Do you know what 'Coeur' means in French?"

John shook his head. He watched as Dorian leaned in to kiss his left pectoral, and understood. "Oh."

Dorian was still smiling as he pulled away, and nodded. "Heart."


	30. In Battle

Author Note: Thanks for reading!

* * *

In Battle, Side by Side

* * *

John could see Dorian.

Dorian could see John.

Problem was, John was on his stomach, stuck under a slab of cement that had been blown away. Well, mostly his legs were stuck, and he could tell that his synthetic was done for. He just couldn't...get it detached -

Suddenly, he watched as Dorian took a quick breath, and jumped out into the clearing. John's ears rang with the sudden, close-proximity gun fire, and his heart nearly stopped when he saw the grenade. He felt Dorian heft him up in one movement, and suddenly they were flying across the courtyard.

"Dorian - "

"I've got you, John," Dorian, grunted. They were lying in a heap now, with the DRN using his entire frame to cover his partner. John felt Dorian's hand running through his hair. The air suddenly seemed still. John felt Dorian's hand running through his hair. "It's over, John. The criminals were too close to the blast - their vitals are at zero. Guess they should have been more aware of - "

John didn't care. He pulled Dorian close and kissed him fiercely. "Don't be so reckless next time," he muttered as he pulled away. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Dorian eased up onto all fours, examining the damage. He winced as his hand ran over John's crushed synthetic. "Does it hurt?" He touched lightly where flesh and mechanics joined, finding blood.

John shrugged. It hurt like hell, having been pulled loose the wrong way. "It's fine. I'm...sorry it got damaged. It was a really good one, too."

Dorian smiled and hoisted the human into his arms. "It's okay, John it wasn't - "

Again he was cut off, by a stream of bullets whizzing past his ear. He didn't even look back as he ran, but he figured that backup must have arrived. In his arms, John groaned and pulled out the gun attached to Dorian's hip. He aimed back at the three men, firing clean shots right into their faces. Dorian sped around the corner of the alley and found _their _backup rushing to meet them.

Paul was in the lead, looking questioningly for orders. John looked at him and huffed, "Area's secured. Let's go before more of them show up."

"Who are they? I thought this was just a drug bust!"

Dorian shook his head. "It's a cover for something else, but we don't have time for that. My partner is injured and needs to be taken to the hospital, and I to the lab for repairs."

An ambulance pulled up not thirty seconds later. John was placed onto a stretcher quickly, but before he was placed inside he asked for Dorian. THE DRN smiled down at him, placing a hand on his shoulder. If all eyes hadn't been watching, he'd be attacking John with kisses and touches only meant for him. "You'll be okay. I'll be by later to visit you, so be nice to the hospital staff."

John rolled his eyes. He was fisting Dorian's sleeve, and a second later, he pulled down on it to bring his partner closer. He looped his arm around Dorian's neck, and did exactly what Dorian had just been wishing he could do. "You saved me," he whispered through their mashed lips.

Dorian tried to ignore the murmuring and few whoops of approval around them. He finally pulled away, allowing the medics to take John from him. He rode to the precinct in the back of Paul's car; Paul was unable to stop looking back at him with unreadable eyes. Dorian didn't comment on it, too content for the time being. _John, you're the one who saved me._


	31. Aruging

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Arguing

* * *

Dorian watched quietly as John began to stomp back up the lab steps. He was mad because Dorian had "hassled" him about being late again, third time this week. Dorian found that unacceptable. He wanted a simple explanation, which wasn't given, and asked that John keep better track on time.

John hadn't liked that at all. His face had turned red, and he'd yelled himself hoarse about Dorian's incessant nosiness. Rudy had long since run off, leaving Dorian to process what had happened. John nearly made it out the door when the DRN sprang into action.

He easily yanked John back down by his collar, and held one shoulder with a firm hand. With the other hand, he brought it down across John's right cheek with an audible 'SMACK'.

John flinched, only allowing a tiny gasp to leave his lips. He brought his own palm up to his stinging face, wide-eyed. "...You - "

Dorian now grasped John's shoulders with both hands, jerking him once. "I am tired of this. All I'm trying to do when I "boss you around", is look after you. You're not only my friend, but my partner, and I _love_ you. You are my whole life, yet you constantly shut me out from yours! You're an insensitive man, thoughtless, and _that _is gonna be the end of you, John."

John glared at him with betrayed eyes. He cleared his throat roughly, then opened his mouth to yell again. "You think that just because you know _everything, _you get to be an arrogant prick! Excuse me for making awful, world-ending mistakes like being late for a shift - "

"_Three, _John - "

_"Shut up!" _John hollered. He shoved himself from Dorian's grasp. "I _hate _you! I hate that you keep trying to fix me, like I'm some broken...whatever! I'm fine how I am, and I don't need a machine correcting my issues! Just leave me the hell alone, Dorian!"

He stormed from the lab, and this time, Dorian didn't stop him.


	32. Making Up

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Making Up

* * *

Two days after the fight, John and Dorian still weren't speaking to one another. Mainly because John had refused to show up for his shifts, which Maldonado had been furious over. She'd decided to put him on suspension until he could sort out his emotions.

On the third morning, John was pacing his apartment, debating on just going in, when his phone rang. It was Rudy, and he sounded distressed. "John, we have a problem."

"What?" John grumped.

"If you don't get your stubborn arse back on the streets with Dorian, he's going to be decommissioned."

John couldn't answer for a moment. "W...Wha..."

"I'm serious, John. Get over here and sort things out. I've had to put Dorian in stasis - "

"What?!" John choked. His hardened heart cracked with fresh emotion, and he suddenly couldn't breathe. "Stasis."

"John. The lab - now."

John hardly even remembered driving over there. He'd ignored anyone who greeted him, and headed down to the lab. The first person he saw, however, was Dorian - not in stasis, and looking extremely guilty. The relief washed over John briefly, before the anger of being tricked took its place. He turned on his heel and began a familiar ascent up the metal steps. From above, the doors locked automatically, and John sighed. "Dorian, let me out."

"I will, John, as soon as you're ready for me to go with you."

John breathed steadily through his nose. He wasn't facing the DRN, so he flinched as a pair of arms scooped around him. He struggled, of course, but it was not use. "John. Please, don't run again."

"I didn't run," John spat vehemently. "Let's make that clear - I don't _run _from anything."

"We all do, John," Dorian whispered. "Even a machine like me."

At that, John nearly crumpled with guilt. He'd said some awful stuff to Dorian, he could admit it. Still, he wasn't going down just yet; he turned to face Dorian, and pointed at his still-bruised jaw. "That _hurt."_

Dorian looked even guiltier - like a damn puppy. He nodded sadly and cupped it lightly, and said, "I'm so sorry, John. I struck you because I thought...you deserved it. I did it thinking I was right, but I couldn't have been more wrong. And...I'm sorry for tricking you, but it wasn't an entire lie - Maldonado said that if the board ever finds out I hit you..." He left the omen hanging.

John looked down. "Even if they did - and they _won't - _we were both wrong. I need to be better about my schedule, and focus on better things. I...don't hate you. You're _not _a machine, and I was a sick for saying it."

Dorian kissed him softly. "I love you, John. I always will."

John nodded, frowning tiredly. This had been a long couple of days, and he was glad they were over. He took Dorian's hand and looked up at him. "I'm still on suspension. Let's smooth things over with the Captain, then head home for some...reconnection."

Dorian smiled and nodded. "I'd like that."


	33. Gazing Into Each Other's Eyes

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Gazing Into Each Other's Eyes

* * *

Dorian couldn't be exactly sure, but he was _almost _so that John held some kind of record for times ending up in a hospital. Two broken ribs, stuck in a neck brace, and tucked carefully into bed. John slept thanks to the wonders of sedatives, now. His face was a little cut up and bruised, making him seem more fragile. Dorian held his bandaged hand lightly - John had cut it up pretty badly when his driver's side window had exploded on impact. Thankfully the other driver hadn't suffered too badly, but his lack of sobriety wouldn't win him any points.

John finally stirred an hour later. He seemed to wake, but kept his eyes closed as he groaned quietly. "Dorian?"

"Right here, John. You okay?"

John's free hand flopped up to touch his neck brace. He opened his eyes in confusion, and blinked tiredly. "The hell...?"

"It was an accident. The other car hit your side and we flipped."

John's gaze found Dorian's, and he relaxed. His lips turned up in the slightest, and he shook his head. "Feels like it."

Dorian moved from his bedside seat to the mattress. He wrapped one arm carefully around John's waist, and held his face with the other. Their noses were inches apart, and he wanted to say something. He couldn't find anything to express his relief sufficiently, so he settled on looking into John's eyes, and let his own do the talking.


	34. Getting Married

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading! This was inspired by Karl Urban's unconditional adorableness!

* * *

Getting Married

* * *

"John...do you understand what you're saying?"

The human took a steadying breath. He sat in Dorian's lap, nestled against his warm skin and into the blanket around them. The rain drummed against the car, steadying Jim's heart beat as he nodded. "I love you, Dorian. I want to spend my life with you, for as long as it lasts."

Dorian nodded happily, but so many questions were running through his processors. What would the board say? Would they find out at all? There wouldn't be a wedding, of course - a human joined in matrimony with a DRN definitely wasn't legal.

"Hey, disco face." John's voice was soft, and loving, and beautiful. Dorian was willing to spend forever, if he could, listening to that sound. Dorian looked at him and smiled.

"Sorry. I'll marry you, John Kennex."

John looked relieved. "Good."

The next morning, they decided to be brave by announcing their plans, first, to Rudy. The technician had just smiled and said, "Well, it's about time, isn't it?"

Maldonado was next, an obstacle that was a complete one-eighty in difficulty. However, the Captain was...pleasantly surprised. "You've thought this over?" She peered at them.

Dorian spoke when John struggled. "We have. This is what we want to do, and we'd like to know the most tactful method of going about it."

Sandra thought on it for a minute or two. In the silence, John began to squirm; Dorian took his hand, and gave a comforting smile. The two of them turned their attention to Maldonado as she looked at them and said, "No wedding."

They shook their heads in unison.

Sandra nodded. "Are you going to purchase rings? It might look suspicious," she added sympathetically.

Dorian looked to John, curious. John only shook his head. "No, I know what we'll do."

She dipped her head once more. "All right. If you'd like, I can try to see if any sort of legal documentation can be produced. It's a long shot, but I'm willing to try."

The two of them were grateful for her support. Later that day, John and Dorian stopped by a tattoo parlor. Although confused, Dorian followed his human inside and let John do all the talking.

When they left an hour later, they each sported the best they could come up with for engagement rings. A single, simple heart had been etched into their ring fingers. Dorian had to admit, it was classy, inconspicuous, and an utterly romantic thing to do. When they returned home that night, Dorian was quick to express his thanks and love.

They lay together afterward, with John tucked into Dorian's arms. He reached out and rested his hand next to Dorian's, looking at them for a long while. Dorian kissed his head. "What are you thinking about?"

John looked up at him. "I...guess now's a good a time as any."

"For what?"

John smiled lightly. "Our vows. I promise to watch over you, and all that, if you do the same for me."

Dorian returned the smile. He eased John onto his back, nuzzling their noses together. "I do, John. I promise, forever."


	35. One Of Their Birthdays

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

One Of Their Birthdays

* * *

_"Initializing start-up."_

_"Charge complete, at one-hundred percent."_

Dorian opened his eyes. He wiggled his fingers, took a breath, then step off his charger. He walked into the next room and called out, "Rudy?"

The technician was walking around the corner, and smiled brightly. "Good morning, Dorian! And a Happy Birthday to you! Doing anything fun today?"

Dorian smiled and shrugged. "Spend time with John, what else?"

"Right, right. Well, stay out of trouble the best you can, eh? Oh, and, er..." Rudy looked at him nervously, still smiling. "I-I made you something, but it's not finished. Come by tonight, and I'll have it ready."

The DRN nodded. "Thank you, Rudy, I really appreciate that." He headed upstairs and through the precinct. Several officers greeted him brightly, and from across the room, Dorian saw the Captain give him a polite nod. Dorian returned it and continued on his way, into the lobby, and out the front doors. The weather was a little cloudy, but still nice enough. He walked down the sidewalk, humming lightly. He turned the corner, and headed up the hill to the place he spent this day every year.

The cemetery was quiet, on account of the early hour. The groundskeeper nodded respectfully and granted access upon seeing Dorian. "Hey, it must be that day, huh?"

"Sure is," the DRN replied.

"Well, it's a nice one to have a birthday, then. Enjoy your time here, I'm sure the old grouch will be happy to see ya."

Dorian chuckled and headed in, taking his time down the smooth path. When he reached the center, he veered off into the grass and found the gravestone:

_John Kennex_

_2006 - 2061_

_Honored, Beloved Officer and Partner_

"Morning, John," Dorian murmured. He passed twp fingers to his lips, and brushed them across the glossy stone. From his jacket, Dorian pulled out the old picture he still carried, paper and all. John was giving his best smile, which wasn't really one. It was more of that smirk; Dorian had kissed his cheek last minute, and his eyes were captured half-way into an eye-roll.

"Another year has passed...can you believe it? I'm in my sixties now, and as humans say, starting to 'go grey'." He knew John would appreciate the joke, having lost the color in his dark hair before he'd reached fifty. Dorian had teased him endlessly, only because the DRN knew he'd never experience that. He was always jealous of John's beautiful, faded grey.

"I was thinking about some stuff," Dorian continued, "about your laugh." He always had something new to talk about each year; it was never difficult to pick something out he loved about John Kennex. "I play the file when I'm having a really bad day. It's often the one you'd do when we'd watch a comedy together. So...light-hearted and free, John. I loved seeing that part of you."

Dorian visited with him the rest of the afternoon, and into the evening. When he returned to the lab, he found Rudy waiting for him. "Hey, man, how was your day?" He asked.

"Oh, fine, fine! Well, I have your present, so, er...here!" Rudy stuck out his hands, which held a tiny, black data chip. "I...know it might be a strange gift, but...I thought it would help with the loss." Rudy looked down. "It's a tear stimulant. I thought, maybe, if you ever needed a good cry, this would help."

Dorian smiled softly and said, "Thanks, man. I'll be sure to make good use of these. Good night, Rudy."

The hologram flickered and paused, then Rudy disappeared, with the ghost of 'good night, Dorian' echoing in the room. Dorian, of course, had implanted the chip ten years ago, a few months after John's death. He sat down on one of the old work benches, sighed deeply, and connected his emotions to the chip.

The tears were falling before he could blink again, and he rested his head into his arms. The night John had died hadn't been stressful, thankfully. It had happened as the old man slept in Dorian's arms, peaceful and without pain. The funeral had been two days later.

Dorian stayed commissioned only by the power of Maldonado's successor. Other DRNs, sadly, weren't popular _or _in the service, but Dorian had earned his place. Through years of devoted service alongside John, he was quite the decorated officer. Most people knew him anymore, and this day when he'd venture out on his own to visit his beloved.

"John, I miss you," Dorian cried. "I miss you so much, every day. Every year..."

Rudy had passed away not long after John, due to heart problems. _That _had been a difficult day. The hologram had been set up not long after from Dorian's files, and was a huge comfort to him. It was a reminder of the best gift the technician had ever given him - the ability to mourn, and in turn, to heal.


	36. Doing Something Ridiculous

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Doing Something Ridiculous

* * *

This was bad. This was _so _bad. _Oh, shit. Think, Kennex. _John looked to his left in the darkness, finding Paul and Ryan running the length of the platform. Since they (all) were a little tipsy, the two men were tripping over their feet. The sound of their boots pounding against the metal was easily drowned out by their howling, and John nearly laughed. Getting into the game "The Hunt" after a round had been way too easy to agree on.

Suddenly, there was a low snort to John's right, on the platform's other end. John's chuckle died on his lips as he turned, finding Dorian stomping and pounding his chest. John gawked at him for a split second before realizing he was going to be dead in about two seconds. The gorilla snarls Dorian made were _actually _freaking him out, and he definitely didn't want his DRN to be the first to hunt him. John turned around, willing to leap over the railing - though it was about twelve feet - and found the rain gutter.

It was perfectly angled for an escape.

John took a deep breath, held it, and jumped onto the thin metal. It was slippery and he began his descent quickly; an unrestrained cry was leaving his lips. His heart pounded as he tried to keep his balance, but nearly lost it as he found someone waiting at the bottom.

Rudy! That sneak had finally shown his face, and was waiting with a feral grin on his lips. His hands jutted out like claws, and he emitted a gurgling yip as the raptor he was portraying. Again, John wanted to laugh, but he was out of gutter to surf. Instead, he winced and called out, "Sorry, Rudy!"

The technician looked confused, but his eyes went wide as John leaped off the metal. Character broken, Rudy tried to turn away as he yelled, "No, no, John, don't - oof!"

John's foot planted firmly into Rudy's chest. The younger man went sprawling across the cement, and he lay there, winded. If John were a nice guy, he would have helped Rudy up, but...

_No way. They'll never catch..._

A primal roar reached John's ears; too close, and his stomach dropped. _Jeez, Dee, you're really getting into - _"Ouch!"

A firm pair of fists thumped him lightly on the back, and he landed on his stomach. Instinct kicked in, and he rolled himself up defensively with a laugh. He knew he'd lost, so he just had to take Dorian's beating until the other guys showed up. Only...Dorian wasn't following the rules. John had explained them a million times, but now he was just standing over John. "Uh, dude, what are you doing?"

Dorian crouched down a bit. "What do you want me to do?"

John groaned and flopped onto his backside. "You're supposed to beat the crap out of me until the others get here."

Dorian opened his mouth, but it was too late. Paul came in second, with Ryan following close behind. Rudy sauntered behind, still rubbing his chest indignantly. "What's this? You okay, John?"

John took Paul's outstretched hand. "Oh, I'm fine. Dorian here didn't know what to do with me."

Ryan shrugged. "Another round, then? Or are you old men all too tired?"

Paul turned and punched his arm. "Yeah right. I think I've had it, though. Dorian thromping around like a crazy kind of freaked me out."

John laughed, noticing Dorian's proud smile. "Yeah, that was something else. Well, maybe another time."

Each man went their separate ways, with Dorian heading home with John. When they arrived at the apartment, the DRN surprised his human by pinning him against the wall. He began to snort and huff against John's neck, smiling strangely. John laughed weakly. "Uh...Dee? What - whoa!"

Dorian hauled him over his shoulder. He didn't say a word until they'd reached the bedroom, where he pinned John on his backside. "_Now, _I think I know what to do with you."


	37. Doing Something Sweet

**Author Note:** Thanks for reading!

* * *

Doing Something Sweet

* * *

Dorian kept glancing over at John, smiling. He was nearly bouncing in his seat, making his partner heave a sigh. John looked at him in exasperation. "Don't have me those eyes."

"Which eyes, John?"

"Those pup...oh, _you _know which eyes."

Dorian grinned, nudging him. "Come on, you can say it. We _are _getting one after all."

John sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Don't make me change my mind, okay?"

Dorian didn't say another word. Not that he had to worry - this had been John's idea in the first place.

The car pulled up to the shelter, and the two of them stepped out. The building had opened ten minutes ago, not helping John's unease. Waiting outside for a shelter to open was like waiting for Black Friday. People shot daggers at one another, silently daring them to adopt the animal _they'd_ already had their hearts set on.

Inside, one woman was already in line, taking a provided leash in exchange for her keys. John's stomach dropped when she turned and he noticed the file in her hand. A German Shepherd pup was in the image box.

That was _his _dog.

"How may I help you?" The man at the desk asked as they approached. John quickly showed the worker his file, and it was his turn to be restless. The leash was handed over at a seemingly excruciating pace, and John all but threw his keys over the counter. He barely heard Dorian's apology as he practically jogged to the kennel.

"John," Dorian said, "John, slow down. You're making the other dogs nervous."

"I don't care about the other dogs.," John snapped. He found the other woman at the kennel - _his _dog's kennel - and called out," Um, excuse me, that's - "

The lady glanced at him briefly as she opened the cage. John's stride faltered, his face fell a bit, and he watched as a _similar _puppy made its way out. Not his. John checked the kennel number on the cage and his file, and frowned. He handed it to Dorian. "I don't get it," he whispered.

Dorian stepped over and looked right in. He smiled and turned back, waving John over. He pointed one of the doggy beds, where a tiny nose could be seen poking out from underneath. The woman followed their gaze, holding her new pet like a cautious mother with her baby. "That one is messed up. I came to check it out yesterday, but it didn't get along with my Nugget, here. Good luck," she added, not sounding genuine in the slightest.

As she walked away, John shook his head. He moved over to the door and crawled onto this knees, then whistled lightly. "Hey, girl. Come on, kiddo."

The puppy's head nudged out more. When John tapped the bar lightly, she bounded to her feet and over to sniff his hand. Then she yipped happily and skirted around her temporary home. John opened the cage, and scooped her into his secure arms.

"She looks a lot healthier," Dorian commented. When they'd found her in the old house, she'd been emaciated and patchy from mange. John had called once a week since then about her condition, and when she would be adoptable.

John nestled his cheek against her furry ears. "Yeah. You've been fed well, here, Fatty, yeah..." He planted a single, self-conscious kiss onto her head, and she nuzzled against him further. "It's okay if you're messed up. That mean lady doesn't know jack shit."

Dorian ran a finger over her tiny paw. "What do you want to call her?"

John looked over at him. "Jada," he announced confidently.

Dorian cocked his head and smiled. "Jada. Interesting."

John snorted. Helluva lot better than Nugget. Who gives a dog a stupid name like that?"

The adoption process was quick and painless. John had Dorian drive home; he insisted it was because he didn't want the pup chewing him to the wire, but Dorian knew the real answer. He listened to his gruff, grouchy, hard-hearted lover coo and snuggle their new puppy all the way home.


	38. Doing Something Hot

**Author Note:** This is the final day for the 30-Day challenge! It's been so fun to write these, and the Jorian magic definitely won't stop here! I could write John and Dorian's stories forever *heart*. I appreciate so, SO much everyone who's read so far, and your reviews, favorites, and for following! Thank you!

* * *

Something Hot

* * *

"Dorian-n..."

"John..." Dorian whispered. He drove his hips upward against John once more, recording the blissful moan that escaped the human's lips. He rested his head against John's neck, watching the way John clutched at the sleeping bag.

John buried his head into his sleeve, biting at the fabric as Dorian hit his spot. He was all but melting into the DRN's arms, grunting with each thrust.

The campfire crackled near them, still flickering brightly. John had nearly fallen asleep watching it, but obviously the light and setting had put Dorian in a mood. All it had taken was him sliding his hand into his partner's jeans, and the rest was history. He didn't even notice the particularly excited 'pop' that came from the flames.

John didn't either, at first. He was too busy trying to string inaudible pleas together; it wasn't until he took another deep breath that he noticed the odd smell. Still rocking with Dorian's frame, he looked up with a frown. Then his eyes went wide and his mouth dropped. "Dorian - "

"Yes, John..."

"F-Fire. _Fire, _Dorian!"

The damn DRN didn't get it. He pulled John closer and nodded, his eyes closed in concentration.

Different sounds left John - a distracted moan, from the pounding he was getting, and panicked laughter. "No, Dorian! The sleeping bag is on _fire! _Get out!"

Dorian's eyes flew open, and he paused a second too long to watch the fluffy cover getting torched. "Oh!"

"Yeah, 'oh!'" John snapped. He fought against the bag's zipper until it finally just broke. He yanked it open, pulling himself regretfully off of Dorian and fumbling with his jeans and underwear. He watched Dorian stomp out the renegade flames, then shake his head and sigh. John began to laugh.

Dorian looked up at him, frowning. "What's funny? That was dangerous."

John just giggled more. He was still unzipped, hard, and his heart was about to fly out of his chest. He plopped down onto one of the logs surrounding the fire, body shaking with laughter. "That was awesome!"

Dorian rolled his eyes. He moved over to John's side and noticed the slight singe on his human's thigh. The fabric had been burned through, leaving John's skin pink and smoky. Dorian crouched down and pressed his lips to the mark. "I'm sorry. I should have been paying more attention to - "

"Dorian," John said clearly. He cupped his hands around the DRN's face, still smiling. "Dude. Our sleeping bag _caught on fire _while we were having sex. It's funny!"

"Ha-ha," Dorian replied dryly. Still sitting between John's legs, he pushed John's shirt up a bit to kiss his stomach. "It could have been worse."

John shrugged. "Could have, but wasn't. Now, while you're down there..." He smiled mischievously, "let's finish what we started."


End file.
